March 19, 2020

Keeping Safe During COVID-19

For 30 years, we’ve had the privilege of providing orthopedic care to the patients and communities of Central PA. We are incredibly grateful for the trust you’ve placed in us. Please know that UOC’s team of surgeons and healthcare professionals are 100% committed to taking care of you and your family through these challenging circumstances. As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to develop, the UOC team will continue to monitor the situation closely and make crucial adjustments to the way we operate in an effort to protect our patients, staff, and communities. Ensuring your health and safety, and that of our valued staff is our highest priority.

The Changes We’re Making

Rescheduling Patients with Flu Symptoms
The most important change is our decision to reschedule appointments where necessary. To any patients experiencing a cough, fever, shortness of breath, or any other flu-like symptoms, we strongly urge you not to come in, but to call us at 800-505-2101. We will do our best to reschedule your appointment as early as possible in order to safely get you the care you need. In addition, we’ve adopted a thorough vetting process to help ensure that staff and other visitors entering the facilities are symptom-free.

Temporarily Closing Our State College Urgent Care Center
On Monday, March 16, we opted to close our Urgent Care Center. For the time being, the rest of our facilities and services will continue to operate under regular hours. We now offer same-day appointments for urgent musculoskeletal needs 9 AM – 5 PM daily.

Dialing up Contamination-Control Protocols
We’ve always had high standards for germ control. As an example, well before the outbreak, our entire staff—from the intake team to the nurses, PA’s and physicians—was outfitted with CloroxPro scrubs, made with a revolutionary, EPA-approved antimicrobial fabric. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, we’re re-doubling our efforts to keep UOC facilities clean and safe. We’ve adopted a closed-door policy to keep rooms as free of contamination as possible and we have extended the hours that our cleaning crew will be on-site, as well as the frequency and intensity with which they will be cleaning.

In a Changing World, This Remains

We understand that the coronavirus doesn’t negate the need for orthopedic care. There are still people suffering with excruciating musculoskeletal pain, broken arms, and torn ligaments. We don’t want anyone to be in pain. We became surgeons and healthcare workers because we want to make people better. It’s why we go to work.

This is a team effort, and in this difficult time, we appreciate your patience and understanding of the changes we need to make. Your cooperation plays a crucial part in helping us keep our communities safe.

For updates and information on how to protect yourself from COVID-19, please visit the CDC website. UOC will keep you informed of any important changes to our operations by email or on our Facebook page.